SB342 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Section 22-50-17 to exempt religious organizations from Department of Mental Health certification if they provide exclusively inherently religious services for substance-related disorders.

• Exemption applies only to established churches or religious nonprofit organizations where propagation of religious principles is the primary purpose and services are acknowledged as inherently religious in official organizational documents.

• Exempt programs must not employ a disease model, provide clinical treatment services, conduct clinical assessments, assign clinical diagnoses, keep clinical records, or market services as treatment for substance-related disorders.

• Exemption does not relieve organizations from licensure, certification, or compliance requirements under the State Board of Health or other state and local regulatory bodies.

• Effective on the first day of the third month following passage and Governor approval.